Evaluatingtheefficacyofprovidingextendedreleasenaltrexone

As a part of a larger strategy to address the opioid epidemic, the state of North Carolina passed legislation in July 2016 to develop a medication-assisted treatment pilot program that will evaluate the effectiveness of providing extended release naltrexone, a non-narcotic non-addictive opioid blocker, to patients in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is funding a randomized controlled efficacy trial that will be conducted by TRI. The two-group study will compare rates of abstinence, both during the six-month intervention period and at 12 and 18 months post-study entry, among individuals who are assigned to receive either extended release naltrexone at the FQHC or treatment as usual, which is typically referral to community-based treatment. In addition, the team will evaluate cost effectiveness of the intervention.